Cap-feeding machine.



GIJ. F. WOELLBRT.

GAP FEEDING MAOHINEJ APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14, 1813.

Patented Aug. 11, 1914. I

3 EHBETB-BHEBT 1.

G. J. F. WOELLERT.

GAP FEEDING MACHINE.

ABPLIOATIOH FILED nov.14,'191s.

Patented Aug-11 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

momm

G. J. P. WOELLERT.

GAP FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 14, 1913,.

Patented Aug. 11, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ul/Ewa- GUSTAVE J. F. WOELIQERT, OF ,ROCKFOBD, ILLINOIS.

car-mamm- Madman.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed November 14, 1918. Serial No. 801,083.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Gus'mvn J. F. WOEL- Len'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockford, in the county of Winnebago and the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cap-Feeding Machines, of which the following is a specification.

In a certain class of manufacturing, dealing with the use of caps heads, but-tons and the like,'and such that have opposite faces each of a different shape, it'is desirable to pass the caps from a container or ho per where they are kept in large num ers,.

through a conduit or passage in such a manner that all the caps are faced with certain faces thereof faced in a like direction in the conduit; and it is desirous of doing this automatically. Thisis for the purpose of receiving the caps at a discharge point, every cap in a likepositionso that it can be operated upon or-enter into. theoperation of its use in a position uniform with the preceding caps Therefore it is the object of my invention to construct a device for receiving irregularly faced caps individually and automaticallygfacing the caps all in a like direction in a;. common conduit.

In the accompanyingdrawings: Figure 1 is a plan view ofmy improved cap feeding machine. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof as taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view. thereof as taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view looking at the back of the machine. Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of a cap feedcheck such as is shown at the lowerend of.

Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is an enlarged'vertical sec- 'tional view through the cap feeders, as taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1, showing a cap aboutto be fed to theright.vv Fig. 7

shows a broken continuation of-the capconduit shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 isa view similar to. Fig. 6 but with the cap feeders in elevation and a cap about to be fed in the opposite direction. Fig. 9 shows a broken continuation of the cap conduit shown in Fig. 8. Fig..10 is an enlarged verticalsectional view takenon the line 10-10 of Fig.

1, the feeders in elevation. Fig. 11 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 11-11 of Fig. 10. 1 1

A supply .conduit12, vertically inclined and formed to receiveadisk-sha ed caps, :is adapted to lead from a hopper not. shown) and to discharge. .at an angle into, a transthe present embodiment of the verse and horizontal conduit 13 Whose end portions 14 and 15 are curved toward a commonside and converge in the same directlon, oining in-a common discharge condu1t 16. Located at the junction of the conduits 12 and 13 are means for automatically feeding caps received in conduit 13 from conduit 12, in opposite directions in the former conduit. This cap feeding means isoperated by suitable mechanism, which together with the feeding means will be more fully described hereinafter; and in device the frame and means for carrying the feed operating mechanism is associated with said conduits so as to support same, but it is evident that means of support may be in other suitable embodiments.

Mount-ed above and below, directly opposite the intersection of conduits 12 and 13 are rotary feed members each on an axis transverse to the longitudinality of conduit 13. The feeders are each of like construction and comprise circular bodies 17 and 18 mounted on shaft extensions 19 which are journaled in bearings 20 extending above and below the casings of conduits 12 and 13.

Each feeder has a circular bore 21 extending diametrically therethrough, in each of which is located two feeder fingers 22 adapted to project beyond the periphery of the feeders, each finger having a head 23 located within the bore 21 and held slidable and from outward displacement by apertured bushings 24 screwed into each end of said bore; and a spiral spring 25 is located in the bore intermediate the heads 23 to hold the feeder fingers normally in an outwardly extended position. Said fingers are adapted to reach into conduit 13 through openings 26 and 27 Patented Aug. 11, 191d.

at the upper and lower sides thereof, re-

spectively, said openings being elongated so as to allow the fingers to move longitudinally through the conduits, and said openings extend in opposite directions relative to conduit 12, the termination of the openings at their ends adjacent said conduit being such that the feeder fingers will be allowed to enter conduit 13 at right angles thereto. The feeders are adapted to be rotated in a like direction as indicated by arrows in the drawings; and it will be ob served thatin so doing, the fingers normally extended approach conduit 13 on the inlet sides theretoopposite the openings 26' and 27 so that they-may enter said conduit at the adjacent ends of said openings. Since the fingers would collide with said sides, cam faces 28 are provided, each in a" curve approaching the periphery of the feeders in their extended positions, will contact said cam faces as they approach the openings and be moved by said faces to a retracted position within the feeders. As seen in Fig. 11, a yieldable means is located in conduit 13 directly opposite the discharge of con duit 12 to receive a cap and hold it from displacement until it is moved by the feed. ing fingers; and this means is in the form of two curved spring members 29 which are held in position by being located'in an open-- ing 30 and held fixed therein by a wedge 31, the spring ends diverging so as to resent a 5 ring pocket to receive a cap, w ereby, wit the feed of the cap to either sidethe springs will yield to allow such movement. Located in discharge conduit 16 is a stop 32 pivoted so that its end 33 may be swung into the conduit to stop thepassage of caps therethrough.

Keyed to common ends of shafts 19am spur-gears 34 which mesh with a driving spur-gear 35 journaled on aframework 36 fixed with conduit 13; and the spur-gears are in such relation that the bores 21 of feeders 17 and 18 will be broughtjin direct aline- 'm'ent when they are moved by the gears.- A toothedwheel 37 is fixed to spur-gear 35 and a s'pring pawl '38 holds it from back movement. An operating pawl 39 carried by an arm mounted loose on a shaft 40,

-' which is journaled on frame 36, is adapted 'to rotatetoothed wheel 37 by oscillation of said arm; and a spur+gear 41 fixed to said pawl arm is adapted to be rotated by a rack bar 42 which may be reciprocate'd-in any suitable manner. V a

The above means for operating the feeders is adaptedto rotate them intermittently, a half revolution at each down stroke of-rack bar 42, so that at each "such action one cap will be fed. This intermittent feed is adapted for use where the feeding mechanism is embodied or cotiperates 'with' mechanism to 1 receive; andbperate'upon the fed caps, thus.

there'jwould be acoii'peration of each mecha-' nism and a cap would be fed simultaneously with" the receiving of one cap by the mechanism operating on'the cap; but it is evident that the fee ers might be rotated continuously at a suitable speed to feed the caps "as desired. Therefore, by the down reciprocation of rack bar 42 the'feeders are rotated alhalf cycle, through the ratchet and spur-gear connections, the commencing of such movement being with the feeder fingers "in contact with 'cams'28 (inoperative position)' an1d thecourse and termination of the feed movement carries the said 'fingers through and out of conduits 13 by way of openings 26 and 272- character, that is, such that have irregular opposite faces, may also be used without departing from the scope of my invention.

"Assuming a continuous supply of caps in conduit 12 in which the caps will be irregularly faced by chance, 'and the feeders in their inoperative position, one cap will lie in conduit 13 held from displacement by the spring arms 29, the cage being moved to such position by gravity.

when the feeders are rotated their fingers riding on cams 28 will both cometo the ends of said cams at the same instant and will enter openings-26' and 27- simultaneously at right angles to conduit 13, the

fingers being so moved by their spring's25 and will each-strike the cap on an opposite side-thereof; and as the top side of the cap is depressed the top finger will engage in said-depression. Thefingers move in opposite directions so that the map will b .moved'with the upper finger, the lower' finger merely sliding over the smooth face of the"cap;*aand the cap will be moved-along conduit "13 to the right by the finger, a sufiicientflistame clear of "conduit 12, until the finger has been :ixtend'ed to-its most outward position when it will be lifted from the cap by the rotation of'the feeder. V The cap will be guided-by conduit 14 intoconduit 16 as shown in Fig; 7, the open'side of the cap to the right; As this cap-is moved from its position held by spring arms 29 a second cap will take its place; and for the purpose of explanation this cap is chanced to be oppositely faced from the former one, so that when the feeders are rotated the bottom finger will engage ,the caps open face, as shown in Fig. 8, and the cap will be fed to theleft. In its passage through conduit 15 it makes a half turn without any lateral displacement from the general course of said conduit, so that when ince the cap shown in. Figs. 6, 10 and 11 has its open face upward,

it reaches conduit 16 its open side is faced to the right, the same as is the preceding cap.

I claim as my invent1on:

1. In a cap feeding machine of the char- .moving caps received from said feed conduitfin the second".mentioned conduit in opposite directions. p Y 1 2.111 a:- cap feeding-machine of the character forth, a con duit,:ia-feed?wconduit joining same intermed ate: the endsithereof; and means for engagingcapsreceivedwin the first mentioned conduit from said feed conduit in opposite directions, and means for guiding the oppositely directed caps to a common conduit.

5. In a cap feeding machine, a conduit having a cap inlet intermediate its ends, and cap feeding means for enterlng the 3 conduit from opposite sides thereof for moving caps received from said inlet, inopposite directions in the conduit. I

6. In a cap feeding machine, a pair of d1fferently directed conduits, and cap feeding means having feed movements in opposite d1-. rections and constructed and arranged at each feed movement to contact a cap on difi'erent sides thereof to move the cap in one of said conduits, according to the resistance of the cap with the feeding means.

7. In a cap feeding machine, a cap conduit having a cap entrance intermediate its ends, and cap feeding means in operable relation with said conduit entrance for contacting a cap received into the conduit at said entrance, on two opposite sides thereof, and for moving the cap in the conduit in either of said two directions according to the facing of the contacted sides of the cap.

8. In a cap feeding machine, a cap conduit, separate passages communicating therewith, and means for separating caps irregularly faced in said conduit by engaging individually the depressed face of each cap and moving positively, like faced caps to either of said separate passages.

9. In a cap feeding machine, a cap conduit, separate passages communicating therewith, and feeding fingers in operative relation with said conduit for engaging and moving caps received therein into said separate passages according to the facing of the caps, by contacting a depression in the cap face.

10. In a cap feeding machine, feeding fingers adapted to move in opposite directions and to contact a cap simultaneously on opposite sides thereof, one of said fingers constructed and arranged to move the cap therewith by contacting a depression in the 4 cap face. a

single cap in either tilt machine, a conduit, fan' ientrance thereto intermediate its' ends whereby a single cap may enter the conduit, "and means for intermittently entering said conduit and impartingmovement to said direction in the conduit byengaging a depressed face of the cap. 1 12.- A cap feeding machine having a loop conduit, means for allowing caps to enter individually into the conduit at a common point, and means for moving an entered cap in either direction in the conduit, said direction of movement being governed by the facing of the cap and the moving being effected by said. means applying a pressure ;to engage the governing face and moving the cap thereby.

13. In a cap feeding machine, a conduit :having an entrance thereto intermediate its ends, and means for holding a cap received in the conduit from said entrance, yieldingly from movement in the conduit, and for feeding the cap in the conduit according to the facing of the cap and against the action of said holding means.

14. In a cap feeding machine, a conduit, yieldable means for maintaining a cap received in the conduit from displacement therein, and means separate from said yieldable means for moving caps from said maintained position and for guiding them into conduits .to effect facing of the caps in a like direction.

15. In a cap feeding machine, a conduit, and rotary feed members located on opposite sides of the conduit, each feed member cara rotary feed member located at each of two opposite sides of the conduit, a yieldable finger carried by each feed member, and

means for causing said. fingers, when the feed members are rotated in a like direction, to contact simultaneously a cap located in the conduit, to allow one of said fingers to engage an irregular face of the cap and move the cap along the conduit.

18. In a cap feeding machine, a cap container, a plurality of passage-ways leading therefrom, and means for applying pressure to a cap located in said container, simultaneously in directions leading from said container to said passage-ways for moving the cap into either of said passage-ways.

, tainer, 'means'for-app ying pressure in one direction to a cap invsaid container for env for receiving caps irregularly faced, a plu gagingadepressed face of the ca and positivelymoving the cap in the dlrectlon of said pressure movement, and means for effecting movement ofa ea in the container in a different direction w an the latter cap has not a de ressed face .engageable bysaid pressure app ying-means;

20.- In a cap feeding device, a cap conduit into which caps are received irregularly faced and in which I capsare movable in either of opposite .r-directions, and ;means movable into engagementWith-each cap for positively moving caps faced in aparticular manner, a perceptible distance in one direction in the conduit.

21. In a cap feeding :device, a pair of cap conduits communicatin at a cap receiving point, and means mova 1e into engagement with a cap at said ca receiving-point for engaging and positive y moving the cap in one of the said conduits according to resistgnce to the movement of said means by,a cap ace.

22. In a cap feeding device, intersecting differently directed cap conduits, and means movableinto engagement with a cap located at the intersection of said conduits, for en-. gaging and moving the cap a perceptible distance in either of the conduits according to resistance to the movement of said means byacapface.

23. In a cap feeding device, a cap conduit 'rality. of passage-ways leading therefrom and each constructed and arranged to receive caps moved in different paths, and means for positively feeding a cap according to the facing thereof, into the passage-way adapted to receive similar ca s.

24. In a cap feeding machine adapted to feed caps having differently shaped sides, a conduit for receiving caps faced in irregular order, passage-ways leading from said conduit, each for receiving caps positioned in a particular manner, and means for engaging the differently shaped sides of each cap received from said conduit and moving the cap into either of saidpass'age-ways according to theshape of said cap sides.

25. In a cap feeding machine adapted to feed caps which have differently shaped op posite sides, a cap conduit through which caps pass with their sides faced relatively in irregular order, a pair of cap passage-ways communicating with said conduit, each for receiving caps faced in a particular manner, means for engaging and selectin individually the caps faced in a articui ar manner and positively moving sai selected caps into one of said passage-ways, and means for effecting movement of caps faced otherwise, to, the other passage-Way.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. GUSTAVE J. F.'WOELLERT. Witnesses: A..O. BEHEL,

FLORA E. PHILLIPS. 

